Wiress and Beetee ate lunch before going to a sponsorship party. Gripping Wiress' hand in a white-knuckled grip, Beetee forced smiles as they entered the room. Slowly Wiress pried herself out of his grip as her usual sponsors beckoned to her. Grumbling to himself, Beetee went to the drink table and drank a glass of strong liquid to dull the pain he felt knowing Wiress was submitting herself to her sponsors for their tributes' sake.
"Come here, young man." A sponsor said leering at Beetee before he was led away to a private area of the ballroom.
"One more day, sweetie." Beetee whispered as he held a sobbing Wiress on the couch in the District Three suite.
"But - then - they go into the arena - I don't know what's worse, Beetee - it just hurts."
"Life hurts." Beetee whispered as tears coursed down his own face. "Life at their hands hurts, squirt. I'm sorry." His heart broke watching Wiress suffer in front of him. They sat in silence pulling themselves together to be strong for their tributes.
"Well, we're here." A small voice announced at the door to the living room. In a milisecond, Beetee and Wiress were at the door greeting and hugging their tributes. "I'm nervous - and that made me tired." Kendall remarked. Beetee took one look into her pale face before picking her up and carrying her to the couch.
"I built a trap." Alana said as Wiress hugged her. "It looked complicated." Wiress smiled.
"I built one too."
"I know." Holding Alana, Wiress looked at Joule. She reached for his hand and took it in hers.
"I built a trap too." Joule answered Wiress' unspoken question. "Someone quizzed me on plants and survival."
"I did a trap, fire, and some weapons." Silver finished.
"Good. You all chose good things to showcase." Beetee said returning to the group. "Get some rest in your rooms, ok? We'll get you for dinner." Scooping Kendall from the couch, he and Silver carried her to her and Alana's room.
"It's ok, Kendall. Take a nap." Wiress said tucking the covers around the pale girl.
"I'm trying to stay awake - because I have to when I'm there." Kendall said in a small voice.
"So sleep now." Wiress replied smiling and kissing her head. "Besides, these beds are nice and soft." She squeaked as a pillow hit her. "As are the pillows." Kendall giggled along with Wiress before Wiress jumped on Alana's bed to pelt her with her soft pillow launched across the room.
"Silly girl!" Wiress giggled. "Go to sleep!" Coming out into the hallway, she heard Beetee talking to the guys before closing their door. "They're sleeping." Wiress announced around a yawn.
"Wiress, are you tired?" Beetee chuckled before picking up Wiress and putting her over his shoulder amid her giggling protests.
"Noo!" Wiress squealed before Beetee tossed her onto the bed. He laughed and climbed on top of the covers to tickle her before having his eardrums nearly split from a bloodcurdling scream and a small fist connecting with his nose.
"Wiress - Wiress, I'm so sorry!" Beetee gasped as his small co-inventor flailed around on the bed screaming terrified. His heart constricted knowing she was experiencing flashbacks from previous nights within the last six months. The door burst open as Joule and Silver raced into the room.
"Is she hurt?" Silver asked concerned.
"She - was - in the past." Beetee whispered. "Wiress, Wiress honey, I would never hurt you - I'm so sorry - I'm sorry -" Beetee's voice broke as he sobbed along with her. Rocking on the bed, Wiress beat the covers with her small fists wailing. Surprisingly, Joule was the first one to approach the edge of the bed.
"Wiress, it's me, Joule." He caught Wiress' small hand in his. "Wiress, one, three, five, seven, eleven..." He paused as Wiress' crying seemed to slow. Slowly he began reciting the beginnings of equations.
"Wiress, mass times acceleration." Joule said softly over her tears ten minutes later.
"F - Force -" Wiress answered in between her tears. Sitting up, she looked around at Silver tending to Beetee's nose, Joule standing by the bed holding her hand, and Alana at the doorway crying silently. "I - I was chained up - and - it hurt - and - he - he wouldn't stop - he wouldn't stop."
"Wiress, you're not there. You're here. With me." Beetee said approaching the bed slowly.
"Who hurt you?" Alana asked quietly.
"Bad people." Beetee said quietly, his voice laced with fury. "Kids, I think we're ok. I'm - I'm so sorry."
"Thanks Joule, Silver. I - I know you'll be strong." Wiress stammered.
"You - You be strong too." Alana whispered before curling up next to Wiress. "Beetee can wake us up." Wiress nodded before the girls wrapped their arms around each other. Blinking back tears, Beetee covered them with a blanket.
"I'll wake you both for the scores." Beetee said before turning off the light and closing the door. Entering his office, he allowed himself to shake with fury at Wiress' situation. Even though the court said Wiress was stuck in the Capitol for years, Beetee vowed to find some way to bring her home to District Three where she could invent far from the place and people that hurt her.